Panama Canal adds daily slot

The Panama Canal has added an additional daily booking slot to its neo-panamax locks, taking the total to eight.

The additional slot will be effective from the start of June, 2018 to meet increased demand following the Canal’s expansion two years ago.

Jorge Quijano, Panama Canal Administrator, said: “This increase allows us to offer our customers even more flexibility, and was made possible by strategic planning and the experience the Panama Canal team has our accrued in the last two years, especially considering that almost 150 personnel are involved in each transit.”

The Panama Canal Authority said the route had recorded year on year growth since expanding the Canal. Since October 2017, 1,183 neo-panamax vessels had transited the route, a 39% year on year increase.

Additionally, the maximum beam of vessels negotiating the canal will be increased from 49 m to 51.25 m as of June 1, 2018.